The development of emerging technology is a race. Development takes time. The new generation of embedded components then needs more time before it’s widely accepted in the industry. Of course, the manufacturer is challenged to keep costs in check while this whole process rolls out.

A look at the industry today draws attention to Ivy Bridge, the third-generation Core processor from Intel^®. It’s the newest processor on the market. Owing to its highly attractive feature set, it’s also an ideal candidate for building sophisticated embedded applications. But such leaps in innovation increase the pressure on engineers to keep pace with their implementation.

In this issue of GMS Tech we will take an introductory look at the VMEbus and its metamorphosis over the past 30+ years. In 1981 the VMEbus architecture was created. The new design combined the VERSAbus electrical specification, which was based on microprocessor technology, with the rugged and modular Eurocard packaging system. Both were proven, off-the-shelf technologies. The resulting combination was successful because it was durable and could be easily adapted to a variety of applications. The original planners introduced the VMEbus specification into the public domain. This meant that suppliers had to conform to the same technical standard. They also had to compete directly on the basis of price, performance, quality and time-to-market. The adoption of VMEbus as a public domain standard made it easier to accept by competitors.

Merriam-Webster defines trust as the “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” When you flip on a light switch, you trust the lights will come on. When you turn on your computer, you trust it will function properly.